Commodity shelf



g- 1954 H. E. PALAITH 2,685,372

COMMODITY SHELF Filed Jan. 27, 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

COMMODITY SHELF Herbert E. Palaith, Evanstong lll."

Application January 27, 1950, Serial No. 140,941:

2 Claims. 1

This invention is concerned generally with a shelf and more particularly with an adjustable commodity display shelf.

In many stores,,particularly grocery stores of the self service type, goods are displayed on long rows of identical shelves. None of the shelves presents any distinctive appearance and each article of merchandise is hidden among the general mass of goods. No one item stands. out to attract the customers eye and commodities which acustomer is not specifically searching for are generally passed by entirely. Once a customer has located a commodity he wishes to purchase he may find himself confronted with several brands of similar merchandise. His normal inclination is to purchase the first one that strikes his eye but as none stands out, this inclination is thwarted. An analogous difficulty is encountered by the retailer who does not realize which commodities are running low in supply unless he carefully inspects his shelves.

This invention contemplates theprovision of a commodity shelf to be placed on a row of substantially identical shelves to distinguish an area thereof and thus display a particular commodity distinguished from those about it.

An object of this invention is to provide a commodity shelf for displaying merchandise higher and in front of adjacent merchandise.

Another object of this invention is to provide a commodity shelf which is adjustable for placement on any preexisting shelf.

Frequently the arrangement of merchandise in stores is changed about so that a particular item of merchandise is not found in its prior location when a customer revisits the store. Accordingly, the customer may lose considerable time in locating an item he wants and may settle for a substitute item. By furnishing a commodity shelf such as that herein disclosed to a retailer, a manufacturer or distributor may insure that his goods will be displayed continually inthe same location and will insure himself of a. distinctive display whereby a customer readily may locate it upon each visit to a store. The product name or the name of the manufacturer or distributor may-be placed upon a distinctive portion of the shelf where it will be seen by a customer to attract his eye.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a commodity display shelf to locate an item of merchandise at a constant position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a commodity shelf having an. upwardly inclined front panel for the display of. labels and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is; aperspective view of a commodity shelf embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken substantially alongthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my commodity shelf in position in a group of substantially identical display shelves.

The shelf 1 as illustrated in-the drawings is made preferably of sheet metal and comprises a rear or base portion 6 and a forward or extensible portion 8 slidably joined thereto. The'base portion t comprises a supporting surface It) having front and rear-depending flanges l2 and M respectively which terminate in longitudinal inwardly directed flanges i6 and 18 respectively substantially parallel to the supporting surface it). As seen in Fig. 2 the flanges l6 and I3 are adapted to rest upon a shelf. 20 of conventional construction and thus serve-both as supports and as longitudinalstiffeners. As seenmost particularly in Fig. 3'the ends of the supporting surface H] terminate in, invertedsubstantially U- shaped channelsZZ which are preferably formed integrally with the surface 10.

The front or extensible portion 8 includes a supporting surface Hoverriding the surface If). The ends of the surface 24 are provided with integral upwardly directed flanges 26 which are slidably received in the inverted .U-shaped channels 22. The forward edge of the surface 24 is terminated by a downwardly directed flange or front face 28. The front face 28 is tilted slightly upward so that advertising or-labels displayed thereon may be read readily by a customer standing in front of the shelf. The-front face 28 is provided with a bent OVerlower edge 36 in order that no sharp edge will be presented to injure fingers or clothing brought into contact therewith. End pieces 32, trapezoidal in form, and having inwardly directed flanges 34 are welded or otherwise secured to the underside of supporting surface 24 and the rear of the face 28 to brace the face 28 and the front portion of the surface 2 The bent over edge 30 clamps a flange 34 against the rear of the face 28 to secure the extreme cornerof each end piece. A longitudinal supporting member 36 is provided with a horizontal flange 3Bwelded or otherwise suitably secured to the undersideof the supporting surface 26 and with a vertical flange 40 of the same height as the flanges l2 and 14' plus the thickness ofthesurface Hl. A'horizontal flange 42 extends laterally of the vertical flange All to rest upon the shelf 20 previously noted and is terminated by a downwardly directed flange 54 the ends of which are welded or otherwise suitably secured tothe'fianges 3 1- of theend pieces 32 to brace the end pieces and to provide rigidity for the longitudinal supporting member 36-? In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a row of shelves 20 supported by a back wall 46 and a plurality of braces 48 along the front edge. Various items of merchandise 50 are displayed on the shelves 20 and as all of the shelves are uniform, none of the items 50 stands out. A commodity shelf 1 such as that herein disclosed is disposed on one of the shelves 20. Due to the sliding connection between the rear and front portions 6 and 8, my commodity shelf Will fit a shelf 20 of any usual depth. The supporting surfaces l and 24 are raised an inch or more above the surface of the shelf 26 and the forward supporting surface 24 extends an inch or two beyond the forward edge of the shelf 20 so that items 52 placed on the supporting surface of my commodity shelf are displayed at a higher position and at a position extending forwardly of any of the surrounding items so. The items 52 thus catch the customers eye immediately and items 52 displayed on this shelf may b expected to sell more readily than those merely placed on the shelves 20. The tilted front face 28 of my commodity shelf extends an inch or so below the shelf 20 and may be provided with labels t bearing the price of the goods or displaying the manulacturers or distributors nam or emblem. The channels 22 and flanges 26 prevent items from sliding off the ends of the shelf into adjacent display areas.

The weight of the commodity shelf and the items displayed on it is sufiicient in general to prevent tipping by any force exercised against the overhanging front edge. Although not shown, it is contemplated that the shelf could be anchored by means of screws or other fastening elements inserted through spaced apertures in the flanges l6 and 18. In this case, apertures would be placed in the supporting surface I0 to accommodate a screw driver or the like to operate on the'screws or other fastening elements. If the commodity shelf is anchored by screws or the like, the manufacturer or the distributor is positively assured of the same shelf location upon changes in arrangement of the store.

It is apparent that the commodity shelf herein disclosed will call the customers attention to a particular item of mechandise and thus promote sales thereof. The position of merchandise at higher level and spaced forwardly of surrounding merchandise not only attracts the customer's eye but calls the retailers attention to the need for restocking the shelf or refilling his stock. The front panel is tilted upwardly at a convenient angle to be seen by a customer so that the manufacturers or distributors name or emblem as well as the price is called to the customers attention. The commodity shelf is adjustable in size and may be placed on practically any shelf. By providing attractively colored commodity shelves as herein disclosed a manufacturer or retailer may insure himself of shelf position and a number of shelves of his choosing in order to keep his product and name more constantly before the consuming public.

Although a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described it is to be understood that it i for illustrative purposes only and that diverse modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A commodity shelf for distinctively displaying items of mechandise above adjoining shelves comprising a first horizontal supporting surface, a second horizontal supporting surface, slidable interlocking structures on corresponding edges of said first and second supporting surfaces for maintaining said supporting surfaces substantially flat against one another to provide a substantially continuous supporting surface, said interlocking structures extending above said supporting surfaces to provide retaining Walls thereon, spacers on the under sides of said first and second horizontal supporting surfaces for supporting said surfaces a predetermined distance above a shelf or the like, a down turned front edge on one of said horizontal supporting surfaces presenting a face inclined upwardly and extending downwardly from the horizontal supporting surface to which it is attached a distance greater than said predetermined distance, and brace plates secured to said face and to the horizontal surface to which it is attached at opposite edges thereof, said brace plates having substantially vertical free edges for abutment against the shelf or the like engaged by said spacers, and said brace plates having parts of said vertical edges secured to one of said spacers for bracing said spacer.

2. A commodity shelf for distinctively displaying items of merchandise above adjoining shelves comprising a first horizontal supporting surface, retaining flanges on opposite longitudinal edges of said surface and disposed at right angles to said surface, each of said retaining flanges comprising a substantially U-shaped channel, the open edge of said U-shaped channel being directed toward said first supporting surface, a second horizontal supporting surface, a pair of flanges on opposite longitudinal edges of said second supporting surface at right angles thereto and fitting in said Ushaped channels for maintaining said supporting surfaces substantially fiat against one another in adjustable relation to provide a substantially continuous supporting surface, transverse L-shaped spacers on the under sides of both of said horizontal supporting surfaces for supporting said substantially continuous supporting surface a predetermined distance above a shelf or the like, a down turned front edge on one of said horizontal supporting surfaces presenting a substantially fiat, depending front face which is upwardly inclined, and brace plates secured to said depending edge and the longitudinal edges of the horizontal supporting surface to which said edge is attached, said edge and brace plates depending a distance greater than said predetermined distance for abutment against the front edge of the shelf or the like supporting said spacers, said brace plates further being secured to one of said spacers for bracing said spacer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

